To be more grateful in life means that you are also allowing yourself to be happier, more contented and more satisfied with everything that has been going on around you. But with all the stress, all the disappointments and all the anxiety around you, I bet you ask yourself this question all the time:
“How exactly can I be more grateful with my life?”
Well, my dear friend, I think I have ten tips to help you with this particular concern. Here they are:
1. Learn to live in the moment.
Life is a wonderful adventure filled with enriching experiences and endless possibilities. Don’t just go through the motions of repetitive activities and boring tasks. No! Being a mindless zombie can make you more likely to take things for granted. Instead of doing something just for the sake of doing it, actually make an effort to savor the experience. You’re supposed to attend a conference? Absorb it. Babysit your niece? Savor the moment. Eat a 15-minute lunch? Taste each bite.
2. Make an Oath of Gratitude.
Being aware of your goal to be more grateful can help you look for things to be really more grateful for. Gratitude is a conscious decision. You have to practice it consistently.
3. Immerse yourself with inspirational thoughts and motivational quotes.
Your feeling of gratitude is a direct manifestation of your environment. If you feel more driven, more passionate, and more alive, you are also bound to appreciate more, live more, and be more content.
4. Make your own Gratitude Board.
You’ve heard of Motivation Boards, Disaster Boards and Dream Boards, so why can’t you have Gratitude Boards as well? Instead of posting your dreams and your disasters, it’s better for you to post the ideals that you feel grateful for. Just a hint: focus more on people and experiences rather than on materialistic stuff that don’t necessarily last very long.
5. Control your thoughts.
Of course you have the power to control what you’re thinking of! Consider this exercise, for example: if you find yourself thinking more and more self-entitled, stop. If you find yourself repeating negative junk, stop. And if you find yourself comparing yourself to other people, stop. You are given consciousness. Make use of it wisely.
6. Always resist the temptation of comparing yourself with other people.
As humans, we have the natural tendency to compare ourselves with others with the hope of attaining satisfaction. Right now, I’m telling you that this activity does not help you feel to be more grateful in life. It does the opposite! You will always be meeting someone richer, more attractive, more successful and more intelligent than you are. Comparison will just rob you off your self-worth and make you feel inferior to others! Don’t do it, please.
7. Watch your words.
You can feel more grateful in life if you are using more positive and more enlightening words. Words that stress you and make you feel worthless should definitely be eliminated.
8. Appreciate what you have right now.
The happiest people are those who are contented with what they currently have, not with what they lack. Apply an abundance mindset in your way of thinking – every action begins with the mind, after all.
9. Acknowledge the past, but move on.
I’m not saying that you should ignore the past, naturally. That’s impossible. What I’m saying is that you should be aware of your past mistakes, past heartbreaks, past failures and past frustrations. Use them as stepping stones. Acknowledge the fact that they did happen in the past and utilize the lessons you learned from them in the present so that you won’t experience them in the future. Be more grateful of the bad as well!
10. Help other people and touch their lives meaningfully.
There really is nothing more rewarding in this world than helping other people improve their lives. This activity doesn’t only make you feel great about yourself – it also makes you value what you have in your life. Go on and sponsor a child’s education. Give your old clothes and books to a charitable institution. Donate your time and offer to teach children for free once a week. Hold feeding programs with non-profit organizations.
Every little thing counts. You have the ability to make yourself feel to be more grateful in your life – never let anybody tell you different.
